Ahead of the opening of a new hub for inclusive recruitment and training located in City Centre Almaza, which is set to empower people with the skills and opportunities needed to build careers in retail and hospitality, 11 trainers have been certified by People 1st International to deliver a range of vocational training programmes.

The trainers, which form part of the Education for Employment Egypt (EFE Egypt) trainer network, attended a five-day “train the trainer” course to learn how to deliver five vocational programmes, all contextualised for Egypt. The programmes, combined with existing EFE Egypt training courses, will form a key part of the offering at the new training centre to impart vocationally relevant technical and employability skills to future trainees.

The training centre, which is set to launch virtually on 7 April, is funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Swiss Confederation, implemented by Majid Al Futtaim Properties Egypt and will be run by EFE Egypt.

The five programmes include:

• Employment 1st: A two-week flexible, modular employability, soft and technical skills programme. Developed with hospitality employers, it focuses on the skills, attitudes and behaviour that develop an employee, rather than a trainee, who is job-ready and can hit the ground running once in position.
• Retail Works: A two-week, full-time employability and soft skills training programme. Developed with leading retailers, the programme aims to inspire the youth to enter the retail sector in City Centre Almaza and throughout Egypt, and builds the skills, knowledge and attitudes required for a successful career in retail.
• Coaching for Success: A half-day programme designed for retail and hospitality supervisors and managers to enable them to maximize the performance of their existing teams, new recruits as well as trainees on work placement.
• Customer Service Ambassador: Encouraging participants to work as a team towards customer service excellence throughout the Egyptian hospitality and travel and tourism industries, the programme also aims to help teams exceed customer expectations and to be knowledgeable, articulate ambassadors for the destinations they work in.
• Café Culture/Casual Dining: A blended programme of soft and technical skills lasting eight weeks and delivering over 200 hours. The programme provides a basic understanding of food and beverage service operations within casual dining cafes and coffee shops.

The training was led by People 1st International’s master trainer Jayne Norman, who comments:

“I was completely impressed by the skills and expertise level of the trainers and the supreme level of effort, motivation and enthusiasm given by each and every participant throughout the five days. For six hours a day, the participants were unwaveringly dedicated to the training; were punctual, attentive and extremely active in participation and in the generation of ideas and plans for how to utilise the material.”

Jane Rexworthy, Executive Director of People 1st International, adds:

“This has provided trainers with exposure to fresh employability and technical skills trainings at a UK standard that have been robustly contextualised for the retail and hospitality sectors in Egypt. It has given the trainers additional resources to be able to deliver high-quality and fit-for-purpose trainings within the new centre.

“The trainers certified are the embodiment of highly tuned soft skills; displaying team ethics, camaraderie and excellent communication and interpersonal skills that make them ideal for their role ahead.”

Adding to this, Diaa Yehia , Country Head at Majid Al Futtaim Properties Egypt, states,

“This training – led by People 1st International – is a testament to the Egyptian population’s continuous efforts in leading the next generations to a more successful future. By providing inclusive, international standard trainings, we will be able to continue guaranteeing a skilled team that works to ensure we provide great moments for everyone, everyday.”

Nora Abou El Seoud, EFE-Egypt CEO adds:

“The training was an enriching addition to EFE-Egypt’s capabilities. Our trainers are our backbone; they are the directors of our students’ learning experience, skill training and employability. They are the hidden factor behind the success of the organization and its beneficiaries. People 1st International training has increased their capacity to create more achievements and take EFE-Egypt’s impact to a new level”

The virtual launch of ARTC will be taking place on Zoom on 7 April from 3pm – 430pm (Eastern European Standard Time).